The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-12-08
He Criticizes the Presidents
Message.
THE REFORMS HE WOULD URGE
He Would Favor the Repeal of the
Tobacco Tax, but not That of
Whlsky-Hts Other Views,
Blaine on the Message.


dent Cleveland's message. He says:
i have been reading an abstract:of the
Presidents message, and have been es-
y cially interested 10 the comments of
the London papers. The papers all as
sumo to declare that the message is 8
free trade manifesto, and evidently are
anticipating an enlarged market ror
English fabrics In the United s ates, as
mendation. Perhaps that fact stamps
the character of the message. more
clearly than words can.
You don't mean actual free trade
without duty Z" inquired the reporter.
No." replied Blaine, nor do tn
London papers mean that; they simply
mean that the President has rec
ommenoed what in the United
States is known as revenue
tariff, rejecting the protective fea-
ture as an object, and not even
permitting protection 10 result freely as
an incident to revenue duties"
II don know that quite compre-
hend that last point" said the reporter.
mean" said Blaine, that for the
first time in the history of the United
States, the President recommends re-
tanning the internal tax in order that
the tariff may be forced down, even
below fair revenue standard. He
recommends that the tax on tobacco be
reC=ined. and thus that many millions
annually shall be levied on domestic
products, which would far better come
from tariff on foreign fabrics"
Then do you mean to imply that
you " uld favor the repeal of the to-
bacco tax2"
Certainly; I mean just that" said
Mr.. Blaine. " should urge that 1t be
done at once, even before The Christ
mas holidays. 1t would, in the first
place, bring great relief to growers of
tobacco all over the country, and
price of that article to the consumer.
Tobacco, to millions of men, is neces-
sity. The President calls it
luxury. It is well to remember
that a luxury of yesterday be-
comes necessity of to-day.
Watch the number OF men at
work on farms, in coal mines, along
railroads, in iron foundries. or in any
calling, and you will find 95 to 100 chew
ing whise they work. After each meal
the same proportion seek the solace of
the pipe, or cigar. These men not only
pay millions of tobacco tax, but pay an
enhanced price, which tax enables the
manufacturers and retailers to impose.
The only excuse for such tax is actual
necessity, under which government
found itself during the war and the
years Immediately following. To retain
the tax now in order to destroy
protection which would incidentally
flow from raising an amount OF money
on foreign imports is most extraordin-
airy policy for our government"
well, then, Mr.. Blaine, would you
advise the repeal of the whisky taxi"
mo, l would not. Other considers
tons than those OF financial administra-
ton are to be taken into account with
regard to whisky. There is a moral
side to it. To cheaper the price of
whisky is to increase the consumption
enormously. There would be no sense
in urging reform wrought by high
license in many States, if the national
by making whisky within the reach Of
every one at 20 cents gallon. 1t would
destroy the nigh license at once in all
the States. Whisky has done vast
deal of harm In the United States. /
would try to make it do some good. /
would use the tax to fortify our cities
on the seaboard. In view Of the power
ufietter addressed to the Democratic
party on the subiectof Notifications by
Samuel J. Tilden, in 1885, am amazed
that no attention has been paid to the
subject by the Democratic administra-
ton. Never, before, in the world, has
any government allowed great cities
on the seaboard to remain defenseless.
But" said the reporter, "you don't
think we are to have war in any dIrec-
toni"
"Certainly not; but we should
change the remote chance into an abb
solute impossibility.
"But would our fortifying now pos
sibly |, ok as if We expected war;"
why should it, any more than the
Notifications made by our grandfathers,
when they guarded themselves against
successful attacks from the armamepts
OF that day? We don't necessarily ex-
poet e'burglsr because We lock our door
But after Notifications are con-
structed, would you still maintain the
tax on whiskyt"
Yes; 30 long as there is whisky to
tax [ would tax it, and when the
n6IlOu21 h0F LIZ oGO
for the money. would divide the tax
among Federal union with the specific
object OF Tightening the tax on real
estate. If, ultimately, relief could be
given in that direction, it would in my
Judgment be wise and ereficial
policy. Some honest but misguided
friends of temperance have urged that
government should not use mo- y
derived from the tax on whisky. bly,
reply is that the tax on whisky by the
Federal government and consequent
enhancement of price, has been
powerful agent in temperance reform,
by putting it beyonu the reach
of so many. The amount OF
whisky consumed in the United States
per capita is not more than 40 per cent.
OF that consumed thirty years ago."
"In my judgment, the whisky tax
should he so modified as to permit
those who use pure alcohol in the arts
or mechanical pursuits TO have it free,
in all such cases. the tax could be
omitted without danger OF fraud, just